Device for operating theatrical scenery.



No. 672,369. Patented Apr. l6, l90l.

R. HYDE.

DEVICE FOR OPERATING THEATRICAL SGENERY.

(Application flied Fab. 8, 1901.)

(No Model.) 7.? 2'3 IN VE N 70/? UNITED STATES ATENT Orrin-n.

RICHARD HYDE, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

DEVICE FOR OPERATING THEATRICAL SCENERY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 672,369, dated April 16, 1901.

Application filed February 8, 1901- Serial No. 46, 166. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD HYDE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Device for Operating Theatrical Scenery, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

One purpose of the invention is to obviate the existing difficulty in the adjustment of scenery when operated by ropes and pulleys caused by the expansion and contraction of the separate hanging ropes, as usually employed, the expansion or contraction of a central rope, which is used in the improved grouping in connection with the ropes leading to the end portions of the scenery, being an average of that in the continuous outside rope or rope connected with the end portions of the scene, whereby under such an arrangement scenes can be adjusted by pulling down one corner of the scene itself. The other corner goes up correspondingly.

A further purpose of the invention is to provide a snap-catch for the pulley block with which all the ropes are connected, which arrangement allows the scenery to be lowered without the counterweight employed running the full height of the scenes, which act is accomplished by simply attaching a drop-rope to the snap-catch.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both figures.

Figure 1 is a front view of a stage, parts being broken away to illustrate the application of the improved operating device employed in connection with the scenery; and Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the pulley-lolockwhich receives all the ropes connected with a scene, its snap-catch attachment, the counterbalance-weight connected with the said snap-catch, and a portion of the draft-rope which leads to the fioor of the stage and is connected with the counterbalance,

whereby the scene may be manipulated from the floor of the stage.

A represents the proscenium of a stage; B, the stage; C, the drop-curtain; D, a dropscene, and E the fly-gallery from which the scenes are usually operated.

The especial purpose of this invention is to provide a means whereby a drop-scene can be regulated and operated from the stage without necessitating a person passing from the stage to thefiy-gallery to accomplish an adjustment of the scene, together with means whereby the scene may be made to drop flush with the stage, or should the scene not so drop whereby it may be regulated from the flies by simply adjusting one corner, the other corner rising or dropping correspondingly.

A rope 10 is attached to one end portion of the scene D. This rope is shown as provided with a ring 11 at its lower end, through which ring a second strand of rope 12 is passed, and the ends of this second strand of rope are attached to the upper portion of the scene by means of eyes 13 or their equivalents. This rope 10 is passed up to a suitable point above the stage and is then carried over a guidepulley 14, and said rope 10 is then carried from said pulley over a second guide-pulley 15 at the opposite side of the stage, as shown in Fig. 1, and from the guide-pulley 15 the rope 10 is carried downward over a pulley in a block lb and again upward from the said block over a guide-pulley l7 and horizontally over another guide-pulley 18 and down to the opposite end of the upper portion of the scene D. This end of the rope 10 is also shown as provided with a ring 11 and an auxiliary stretch of rope 12, attached at its ends to the scene by means of eyes 13 or like devices.

An auxiliary rope 19 is employed in connection with the continuous rope 10. This auxiliary rope while not absolutely necessary is rather important, as it is intended to serve as a support for the central portion of the scene and constitutes virtually a pivot upon which the scene may be moved in adjustment when it is dropped to the stage. This rope 19 at its lower end is also shown as provided with a ring 20, and an auxiliary stretch of rope 21 is passed through this ring and is attached at its ends by means of eyes ley 22, located between the upper stretch of the continuous rope 10, and the central rope 19 after leaving the pulley 22 is passed over 7 a guide-pulley 23, located between the guidepulleys 15 and 17, as is also shown in Fig. 1. The opposite end of this central rope 19 is attached in any approved manner to theblock 16.

A counterbalance-weight 25 is provided with an eye 26, received by the snap 24 of the block 16, and one end of a draft-rope 27 is attached to the upper portion of the counterbalance-weight, which rope passes over a guide-pulley 28, located in the flies on a suitable support, as shown in the drawings, and the said draft-rope is carried downward over a pulley 29, which is located within the said flies and is attached to the stage B in any suitable or approved manner. The said draftrope 27 after passing over the pulley 29 is connected with the lower portion of the counterbalance-weight 25, as is shown in Fig. 1. Thus it will be observed that any attendant on the stage may manipulate a scene through the medium ofa draft-rope 27 connected therewith and that the attendant need not ascend to the fly-gallery E to accomplish such manipulation, as has been customary hitherto. Furthermore, the counterbalance-Weight 25 may be detached from the snap 24, carried by the pulley-block l6, and a rope leading to the stage may be attached to said snap, enabling any person to draw up the scene, the counterbalance being disconnected therefrom. When the scene has been drawn up as far as desired, the rope attached to the snap may be secured to a rail, a belaying-pin, or other convenient andequivalent support, and a second scene may be attached to the counterbalance 25 and the draft-rope 27 whenever it is found desirable.

Having thus described my invention, I

. claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent 1. The combination, with a piece of scenery or the like, of a continuous rope connected with the end portions of the piece of I scenery and extending upward therefrom, guide-pulleys for the upper portions of said rope, a pulley-block which-receives the said continuous rope, a snap attached to the pulley-block, a counterbalance-weight detachably connected to the said snap, a draft-rope, pulleys secured in the flies and over which the said draft-rope passes, the draft-rope being Within reach of the stage and the ends of the said draft-rope being attached respectively to the top and the bottom of the balance-weight, for the purpose described.

2. The combination, with a piece of scenery or the like, of a continuous rope attached to opposite ends of the scenery, which continuous rope extends upward from the scenery over guide-pulleys and over the pulley of a block located at one side of the proscenium, a snap attached to said pulley, a counterbalance-weight removably carried by said snap, a draft-rope attached respectively to the top and bottom portions of said weight, said draftrope being accessible from the stage, guidepulleys over which the draft-rope passes, and an intermediate supporting-rope for the scenery attached to the central portion thereof, which intermediate rope is carried upward over guide-pulleys and thence downward to a direct engagement with said block, as and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination, with a piece of scenery or the like, of a continuous rope attached to opposite ends of the scenery, which continuous rope extends upward from the scenery over guide-pulleys and-over the pulley of a block located at one sideof the proscenium, a snap attached to said pulley, acounterbalance-weight removably carried by the snap, a draft-rope attached respectively to the top and bottom portions of saidweight, said draftrope being accessible from the stage, guidepulleys over which the draft-rope passes, an intermediate supporting-rope for the scenery attached to the central portion thereof, which intermediate rope is carried upward over guide-pulleys and thence downward to a direct engagement with saidblock, rings located at each end of each rope leading to the scenery and auxiliary ropes passed through said rings, which auxiliary ropes extend in opposite directions from the rings and are secured to the scenery, as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

RICHARD HYDE.

Witnesses:

STEPHEN W. DODGE, EMANUEL NEWMAN. 

